New Kitchen - what was a good idea - what wasn't or wasn't worth the money/hassle?

[BeechTreeView]

Thinking of those things you added that made a big difference - and the things that you've never noticed - used.

I'm at the adding everything in stage - boiling water tap, warming drawer, oven and microwave convection.

And have probably forgotten to put in enough counter space or where the toaster is going to go.

Husband likes clean - everything put away - I'm more likely to have at at least the tea/coffee kettle and toaster on show.

No kids. Guests round fairly frequently.

We have 2 huge pan drawers and spice rack cupboards that are really handy. Agree on the counter space, we have just enough space but it would’ve been nice to have more. Have you got a built-in bin etc? If not, where will your bin go?

Didn’t bother with a boiling water tap although I wouldn’t mind one! However I recently saw an ad for an Insinkerator which I thought was a good idea.

Really think about what you need where and when. I have pan drawers under my hob with plates and pans in. Drives me nuts if the husband is putting dishes away whilst I’m trying to cook. I should have a shift around but can’t be bothered now I’m moving

It's got 2 huge pan drawers just off set to the hob. Tick.

Bin is in a cupboard under the sink.

I bought a second hand kitchen that came with an insinkerstor. I would never, ever have chosen this myself but it is so useful when rinsing dishes.
I also have a kitchen tap that pulls out and can be switches to ‘spray’ mode which is excellent for cleaning suds and produce. It looks a bit like this www.ikea.com/au/en/p/vimmern-kitchen-mixer-tap-handspray-stainless-steel-colour-70305286/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=surfaces&utm_campaign=shopping_feed&utm_content=free_google_shopping_clicks_Kitchen&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIg7m72-2l8AIVsjdyCh2_OgCCEAQYASABEgKkYvD_BwE

I love my boiling water tap! A must now (no more kettle)!
I have a breakfast cupboard- it is wall cabinet depth but goes down to countertop. You open the doors and the toaster, coffee machine and microwave are inside as is all the cereal and actually most dry goods too.
I wish I had a bigger fridge - I have an integrated 70/30 only 60cm wide. There's only three of us but it's rammed.
Hopefully you have space elsewhere for washing machine. Mine is behind cupboards far end of kitchen but that end always looks like a laundry room - I wish I had put it in the side store I have (done after the kitchen).
I also love my built in bins. You pull them out one side for recycling (cans and glass) other for rubbish. Card and paper go out back as tends to be much bulkier.
I wouldn't bother with a warming drawer. I have a steam oven too but have never used it - neither did the previous owners who put it in!
Drawers rather than cupboards.

Large pan drawers and cupboards with individual pull out drawers (game changer - easily pleased).

Wall mounted extractor (not a hood extractor, its like ones that you have in the bathroom) not really on view - really makes the kitchen look more contemporary.

Detachable tap which can switch to a shower type flow - fab.

I've got two multifunction Neff Ovens. They both clean themselves apparently... I never used this feature until recently have forgotten all about it and saw no difference at all to my usual effective soapy dishcloth when required once in a blue moon method

I got a full new kitchen 2 years ago and love it. From my experience in the process and after :

• get a large sink (that can fit a full oven dish say) over one of those smaller sinks split into a large and a small, so much handier and fits (hides 🤣) more off the counter. My sister has a split sink and says it's annoying as the larger bit isn't big enough for most things and the smaller is too small.

• ovens..we got a De Dietrich oven and a combi microwave which doubles as a grill and oven also, so handy when cooking at Xmas or for larger numbers. Has so many functions there's no way I'm even using or aware of them all. Would recommend having both.

• Counter space and splashback - we got white quartz for the counters and island, and I asked them to quote for a thinner layer of the same for the over counter/under press walls, to fully go around as opposed to just having a square at the back of the hob. Wasn't that much more expensive and looks great. Get as much counter space as possible!

• Integrated appliances (you're probably already doing this) finishes off the look. We have a full length fridge and a full length freezer (one door each) and it's so great having so much space. Also have the integrated bin drawer (large and fits normal/recycling/compost decent size bins in one large pull out drawer.

• large Pantry! I love ours we have two large deep shelving areas and 3 large pull out drawers, plus a smaller one on top which is great for the small bits like tin foil roll, food bags etc. It's unbelievable the amount of storage in them and it's one of the best things about the kitchen!

• extras like a wine fridge (ours is in our island) and the nice corner pull out shelving.

• things we didn't get;

1. charging drawer (was supposed to be in the island but configuration wouldn't have worked but we just made sure we had sockets underneath (with USB ports on) and it works fine for us.

2.Also didn't bother with a warming drawer....the kitchen designer was mad for us to get one but I researched them and could only find a Neff brand one that had lots of reviews saying it broke a lot and is hard to repair. For what it is given we have the two ovens we are covered for any warming needs and figured we'd only really use it at Xmas or again big dinners.

1. The breakfast press as someone mentioned where the toaster etc is kept- loved the idea but hadn't got the space so if you do I think they'd be great! Also didn't get the hot water tap but I wasn't that bothered on them!

If you have space - a double drainer. The draining board to the left of the sink to pile dirty dishes on, and one to the right to drain them on. So handy.

A floor to ceiling cupboard to store brooms and the vacum cleaner in.

Somewhere to hang up tea towels. Mine is forever slipping off the very pretty but utterly useless towel rail because the 'hooks' are pretty fish but too small.

Drawers big enough for pans to go away in.

The biggest fridge freezer you can fit in.

Don't bother with a kitchen island - just a pain to constantly move around with very little in terms of gained cupboard or work surface space.

Spice rack on the inside of the kitchen cupboard.

Fisher & Paykel double drawer dishwasher, you can run them independently of each other or a the same time, mostly we just use the top one but the extra one is handy when we have lots of visitors. Also great if, like me, you have experienced back problems.

We have one large sink and one little sink side by side with one swivel tap, the extra sink is handy for rinsing veg etc.

We have a thick granite worktop with a thinner little granite splashback above it, think skirting board height, then metro tiles to overhead cupboards.

I like my 5-ring gas hob.

I love my plate-rack over the sink - for storing, not draining.

I have a warming drawer and never use it.

Also have a boiling water tap for tea and it gets used constantly. Expensive but worth it.

You want the Kitchens Lessons Learned thread (can’t remember exact title but if you search for that, you should find it).

My top tip is to draw a layout, then think of 5 regular kitchen tasks: making cup of tea, unload dishwasher, make pasta & sauce, lay table, etc. Then imagine yourself doing those tasks in your layout, maybe with your oh doing something too. What works, what doesn’t? Is the boiling water tap miles from the mugs or the milk for example? Will the fridge door be in the way whenever someone wants to get past? Etc. Then redraw the layout to fix that issue, if it’s a big one.

there will be some compromises, it’s a question of what you can live with...

Particular things to aim for layout-wise:

• hob near to sink for easy draining and pot filling
• bin near to (ideally under) main prep area
• large prep area near your hob
• somewhere to put hot things near the oven (if quite a long way, get telescopic shelves so you can baste that way)
• crockery and cutlery lives very near dishwasher
• a cupboard with worksurface inside is a great place to hide appliances and general kitchen surface crap
• have drawers under worksurface rather than cupboard, whereever possible, they store so much more and are much easier to use
• consider your heights: you may want less high storage if you are shorties like me
• don’t be tempted by open shelves, they are dust traps, one or two for decorative bits is ok
• massive sink is so useful - I have one big and one teeny (550/200) and it works brilliantly
• pull out tap
• boiling water tap
• plug sockets!

I'm also at the planning stage.
One thing I've been recommended is plinth level drawers. They're apparently great for storing baking tins or seldom used tablecloths etc. Our kitchen will be very small, so I'm keen to use every space possible.

Don’t forget that drawers under the worktop will collect crumbs (even worse if like me, you have fronts with integrated handles that fill with grime). Make the worktop taller than usual (may need taller plinth) so you don’t have to bend over (European kitchen do this and it makes such a HUGE difference). Also make worktop deeper than you think, makes prep less stressful having proper space to work and push things to the back once prepped. Also make worktop overhang the units underneath by 1.5cm ish so you can easily fit your hand underneath and swipe crumbs straight into the sponge without mess. Have a sink with rounded corners - square ones always manage to look dirty. Also if having undermounted sink make sure the worktop cutout ‘overhangs’ the edges of the sink. Looks neater as you can’t see the edges of the sink. NB always fill sink w water before sealing (weight of water makes Difference.) make sure that you can access underneath dishwasher easily. These always go wrong at some point and our plinth was siliconed - so annoying. More worksurface plugs (with USB too) than you think you’ll need. Lighting - work top lighting (under the wall cupboards) as well as overhead lights (we have separate dimmable circuits) and table lamps on that all switch on from one switch (like hotels) so we can watch telly comfortably. I hate the bin under sink as someone is always standing there when you want to use it. My bin is on wheels (like plant movers) so I scoot it around as needed. Also think about Ventilation and noise rating of extractors/dishwashers etc. Storage - I just made a list of everything and then plotted each drawer on paper.. don’t forget things like dog food, foil and wraps easily accessible, bin liners near bin, my fridge and next door cupboard open in opposite directions so I can unload from one to another without doors getting in the way. Noticeboards inside cupboards (less visual clutter)...

Good thread - I can also recommend the humongous Kitchen Lessons Learned thread(s).

@minipie, which sink do you have? I want a proper large one plus a tiny, but cannot find one which also has a draining board

It’s the Blanco 550/200 undermount ... but it doesn’t have a draining board. We just use a teacloth to drain, as most stuff goes in the dishwasher

Thanks... my search continues....

I need to find the kitchen lessons learned thread. We want a big sink but they don’t seem to be in vogue.

We have a boiling water tap, which I adore - but the first thing I realised when we started to actually use the kitchen is that the plan for the general waste bin to go in the cupboard under the sink was not going to work. The space perfectly fitted the bin I had, but as the boiler/hot water tank also sits in that cupboard (and takes up a half cupboard space, by the way) the cupboard under the sink is effectively heated. So the bin very quickly starts to smell...
I hadn’t considered in advance but you are essentially creating a mini airing cupboard. We ended up with a stand-alone bin.

I also highly recommend deep drawers - we have two for pans and two for crockery and serving dishes. And a narrow pull out drawer right next to the stove, for oils and seasonings, which I love. And a narrow cupboard with a pull-out shelf that the food bin sits on, right where I chop veg. The food waste goes straight into the food bin. And the chopping boards live in the bottom of that cupboard.

go for cheap taps, screwfix or similar. You want to rip out the aerator as it is just a device to spray water. (it is a stupid millennial idea for people too dumb to turn off taps) And make sure the fitter puts the tap in the right place on the sink, ours only just drops the water in the half bowl. Didn't spot that until too late.

Make sure worktops are a little deeper (front to back) than units so you can sweep crumbs off.

minimise doors that need opening. A bin should be accessible, not in a cupboard. A closed cupboard for towels is clearly a stupid idea. Integrated units mean extra heavy doors.

I have a crate for recycling, a bin for rubbish, a food waste caddy. I sort the recycling by the outside bins rather than taking out even more containers.

watch for triumphs of design over function; grooves instead of draining boards, belfast sinks (instant backache), excess filler panels (waste of space and money), worktops that scratch as soon as you put anything on them. Remember kitchens are mainly sold to women so there is an incentive to make them a bit shit. Fight back!